Youth turns love for pets a good venture

Falaknuma: By successfully breeding rare species of rabbit from across the world, this MBA graduate has set an example of how realising a dream would not be impossible when the passion is redirected with a distinctive approach. Sparking the same sense of understanding that a hobby could pay you off with good returns, this 27-year-old young enthusiastic pet lover, Mohammed Hafeez Khan has attracted a huge number of clients in the last one year. 

Residing in the densely populated area of Old City near Falaknuma Railway Station, he had a sole objective of making the rare breeds of rabbits common to the city. With this aim, Hafeez started raising the rare species of international variety just nine months ago.  Before he realised that his passion could drag him into a world of animals, Hafeez was just a simple pet lover like any other, but soon his passion embarked on a journey of raising rare variety of innocuous species. In a short span of time, his hobby started catching many eyes in the surrounding that was awed by the never seen variety of cross border breeds.  

A perfect blend of love for animals with a good education, Hafeez is now a proud owner of a variety of international breed of rabbits like Grey Giant (Belgium), Flemish Giant (Belgium), New Zealand White (USA), Californian Rabbit (USA), Black Giant (France), Soviet Chinchilla (France), Dutch Rabbit (UK) and English Spotted Rabbit (UK). Hafeez procures these rare breeds from licensed dealers in Kerala and Chennai. And sells each pair of young doe and buck at around Rs 1,500 to his clients in Hyderabad. He also provides them with other materials to control the temperature, UV lights and special made food for the animals. He takes short classes on rearing and breeding of the rabbits.  

From building a suitable place at his house back yard to providing a favourable environment, he turned himself into a perfect zoo man keeping a watch 24/7 hrs to be ready for any eventuality. After seeing the thatched tin shed built for the imported rabbit breeds, one would be certain that he made no stone unturned to create compatible and sustainable atmosphere for the little loving rare breeds of rabbit, wherein they could be nurtured and bred, away from City hustle-bustle. “Rabbits are very loving, social animals, which means they love to spend time with the humans. Without human interaction, rabbits can get bored, even to the point of becoming lonely and depressed. While toys can alleviate some of their boredom, they still need human attention and interaction. Many rabbits also enjoy having another rabbit as a friend,” said a beaming Hafeez.

Watching them playing and mischievously, people, especially children amazed by them often gaze continuously and enjoy feeding or playing with them. Being inhabitants from the hibernation region, these rare variety of species are very sensitive and are feeble in nature. They need a distinctive atmosphere to survive and to breed. They always depend on leafy food and cool weather without a direct sunshine,” adds Hafeez.

BY Esa Bin Abdul Rehman